财说| 豪悦护理增收不增利，毛利率与费用“黑洞”吞噬利润

Revenue Growth - The company reported a revenue of 2.929 billion yuan in 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.25% [1][2] - The core business of infant care generated 2.06 billion yuan, accounting for 70.3% of total revenue, with a growth of 4.27% [2] - The fastest-growing segment was non-absorbent hygiene products, which saw a revenue increase of 40% to 318 million yuan [2] Strategic Diversification - The company is diversifying from its reliance on infant diapers due to declining birth rates, expanding into women's care and adult incontinence products [4] - New differentiated products launched in 2024 include menstrual pants and disposable underwear, contributing significantly to revenue growth [4] International Expansion - The company achieved overseas revenue of 472 million yuan, a substantial increase of 53.7%, primarily from Southeast Asia and North America [6] - A new subsidiary in Mexico is planned with an investment of 300 million yuan to establish a production base aimed at the North American market [7] Profitability Challenges - Despite revenue growth, net profit declined by 11.65% to 388 million yuan in 2024, highlighting the "growth without profit" dilemma [1] - The gross margin improved by 0.97 percentage points to 27.91%, mainly due to lower raw material costs, but showed a decline in the fourth quarter [8] Rising Costs - Sales expenses surged by 55.95% to 214 million yuan, with advertising costs increasing by 80% to 150 million yuan, reflecting intense competition in the industry [8][9] - The company's sales expense growth significantly outpaced revenue growth, indicating an imbalance in investment efficiency [8] Market Competition - The declining birth rate has led to a shrinking infant care market, forcing companies to engage in price wars to capture market share [9] - The company is attempting to build its own brands, but the short-term lack of scale effect is increasing sales expenses [9] Aggressive Acquisition Strategy - In 2024, the company initiated an aggressive acquisition strategy, spending 360 million yuan to acquire 100% of Sibao Care and 266 million yuan for the South China factory of Da Wang Paper [10] - Concerns have been raised about the company's ability to absorb the increased production capacity from these acquisitions [10] Brand Overlap Issues - The acquisition of Sibao Care introduces direct competition between its "Jieting" brand and the company's own brands, leading to potential internal resource allocation conflicts [11] - The overlapping product positioning may complicate marketing strategies and increase costs without clear benefits [11]